The present invention relates to a system for merging image data into a template or form at a printer and more particularly to a network printing system in which a corresponding printer is provided with a flexible programming language in such a manner that graphic data associated with one or more forms need not be stored at or transmitted to the printer.
With the advent of the electronic office, many records or forms are maintained at a server on a network for access by those with appropriate authorization. A record, such as an invoice, can be created readily with a forms generation system of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,868 to Pickens et al. (Issued: Feb. 25, 1992). As further taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,229 to Schmidt et al. (Issued: Feb. 20, 1990) a form can be filled in with appropriate data and then displayed at a suitable monitor. More particularly, data from an information data file is merged into the form of a form data file at the computer. It will be recognized, by those skilled in the art, that the computer can be disposed remotely of storage area(s) in which the form data and information data files are disposed. For example, the files could be disposed in a server remotely of a workstation at which the records or forms are to be displayed. Although disposing a workstation remotely of the storage area(s) is advantageous in that storage at the workstation is maximized, retrieving graphic data corresponding with the form data can be time consuming since the length of the data stream used to carry the form data can be significant.
The Java ("Java" is a trademark of Sun Microsystems) programming language is highly effective tool for accessing databases to display significant amounts of data in an efficient manner. One Java program contemplated for use in such access is a Java applet. As is known, the Java applet is typically included in an HTML page in much the same way that an image would be. When a Java compatible browser is employed to view a page containing a Java applet, the applet's code is transferred to the browser for execution therewith. For detailed information regarding how to include an applet in an HTML page, reference can be made to a description referred to as "APPLET.tag" on Java.Sun.Com. It is commonly recognized that a Java applet is particularly powerful in the area of browsing since it can be used to facilitate the acquisition of data for display across a wide variety of platforms.
As further indicated at Java.Sun.Com:
The following are example applets. Some run on browsers that support Java Platform 1.0, while others run on browsers that support Java Platform 1.1. Browsers that support Java Platform 1.0 include HotJava.TM. 1.0-prebeta1, Netscape Navigator.TM. 2..times.(32-bit) and Internet Explorer. HotJava 1.0 supports Java Platform 1.1. Applets will also run in AppletViewer (a tool distributed in the Java Development Kit).
As is known, through use of Java applets, the length of a data stream corresponding with an electronic document can be reduced considerably since the form component of a data filled form can be generated by one or more applets, at a host browser, without actually "hauling" the graphic data, corresponding with the form, across the network. It is understood, however, that for various reasons discussed below, Java applets are not commonly used in printing records with merged data at a printer disposed remotely of the source from which the data originated. It would be desirable to provide a network printing system, having a printer, in which data could be merged into a template, with a service, in such a way that the amount of data stored at or transmitted to the printer is minimized.
The present invention employs network capability to achieve various advantageous ends. The following discussion is intended to provide a background for any appropriate network implementation required by the disclosed embodiment below:
Examples of some recent patents relating to network environments of plural remote terminal shared users of networked printers include Xerox Corporation U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,243,518, 5,226,112, 5,170,340 and 5,287,194. Some patents on this subject by others include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,355, 5,113,494 (originally filed Feb. 27, 1987), 5,181,162, 5,220,674, 5,247,670; 4,953,080 and 4,821,107. Further by way of background, some of the following Xerox Corporation U.S. patents also include examples of networked systems with printers: 5,153,577; 5,113,517; 5,072,412; 5,065,347; 5,008,853; 4,947,345; 4,939, 507; 4,937,036; 4,920,481; 4,914,586; 4,899,136; 4,453,128; 4,063,220; 4,099,024; 3,958,088; 3,920,895; and 3,597,071. Also noted are IBM Corp. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,651,278 and 4,623,244, and Canon U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,458 and Japan. Pub. No. 59-63872 published Nov. 4, 1984. Some of these various above patents also disclose multi-functional or integral machines [digital scanner/facsimile/printer/copiers] and their controls.
Some other network system related publications include "Xerox Office Systems Technology" ".Xerox 8000 Series Products: Workstations, Services, Ethernet, and Software Development" .COPYRGT.1982, 1984 by Xerox Corporation, OSD-R8203A, Ed. T. Linden and E. Harslem, with a "Table of Contents" citing its numerous prior publications sources, and an Abstract noting the April 1981 announcement of "the 8110 Star Information System, A New Personal Computer.."; "Xerox System Integration Standard Printing Protocol XSIS 118404", April 1984; "Xerox Integrated Production Publishers Solutions:.." Booklet No. "610P50807" "11/85"; "Printing Protocol-Xerox System Integration Standard" .COPYRGT.1990 by Xerox Corporation, XNSS 119005 May 1990; "Xerox Network Systems Architecture", "General Information Manual", XNSG 068504 April 1985, with an extensive annotated bibliography, .COPYRGT.1985 by Xerox Corporation; "Interpress: The Source Book", Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1988, by Harrington, S. J. and Buckley, R. R.; Adobe Systems Incorporated "PostScript.RTM. Language Reference Manual", Addison-Wesley Co., 1990; "Mastering Novell.RTM. Netware.RTM.", 1990, SYBEX, Inc., Alameda, Calif., by Cheryl E. Currid and Craig A. Gillett; "Palladium Print System" .COPYRGT.MIT 1984, et sec; "Athena85" "Computing in Higher Education: The Athena Experience", E. Balkovich, et al, Communications of the ACM, 28(11) pp. 1214-1224, November, 1985; and "Apollo87" "The Network Computing Architecture and System: An Environment for Developing Distributed Applications", T. H. Dineen, et al, Usenix Conference Proceedings, June 1987.
Noted regarding commercial network systems with printers and software therefor is the 1992 Xerox.RTM. Corporation "Network Publisher" version of the 1990 "DocuTech.RTM." publishing system, including the "Network Server" to customer's Novell.RTM. 3.11 networks, supporting various different network protocols and "Ethernet"; and the Interpress Electronic Printing Standard, Version 3.0, Xerox System Integration Standard XNSS 048601 (Jan. 1986). Also, the much earlier Xerox.RTM. Corporation "9700 Electronic printing System"; the "VP Local Laser Printing" software application package, which, together with the Xerox.RTM. "4045" or other Laser Copier/Printer, the "6085" "Professional Computer System" using Xerox Corporation "ViewPoint" or "GlobalView.RTM." software and a "local printer [print service] Option" kit, comprises the "Documenter" system. The even earlier Xerox.RTM. Corporation "8000" "Xerox Network Services Product Descriptions" further describe other earlier Xerox.RTM. Corporation electronic document printing systems. Eastman Kodak "LionHeart.RTM." systems, first announced Sept. 13, 1990, are also noted.
Current popular commercial published "systems software" including LAN workstation connections includes Novell.RTM. DOS 7.0, "Windows.RTM." NT 3.1, and IBM OS/2 Version 2.1.
Disclosures of all of the patents cited and/or discussed above in this Background are incorporated herein by reference.